Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekgomba Green’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekgomba Green’, characterized by its single-type inflorescences with green yellow-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Dekgomba Green’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekgomba Green’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering single-type Chrysanthemum cultivars with unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in February, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code No. 03.7355.04, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code No. 03.7938.02, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands in November, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since December, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekgomba Green’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekgomba Green’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Single-type inflorescences with green yellow-colored ray         florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 44         days after the start of photoinductive treatments.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about three weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are yellow         green in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female         parent selection are white in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are not as vigorous as plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have smaller inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are yellow         green in color whereas ray florets of plants of the male parent         selection are white in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Deklindi White’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,815. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Deklindi White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Deklindi White’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered three days later         than plants of ‘Deklindi White’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Deklindi White’.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Deklindi White’ differed         in ray floret color as plants of ‘Deklindi White’ had         white-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekgomba Green’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper (top of photograph) and lower surfaces (bottom of photograph) of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekgomba Green’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given two weeks of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were pinched one time and were eight weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekgomba Green’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code No. 03.7355.04,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code No. 03.7938.02,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous single-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             60 cm. Spray diameter: About 14 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Lateral branch length: About 20 cm to 25 cm. Internode             length: About 1.5 cm. Texture: Finely pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 3 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm to 4 cm. Apex:             Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses             divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,             slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves, lower             surface: More green than 147B. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to 137B; venation, lighter than 148B. Fully             developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147C. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm to 7 mm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 147C. Color,             lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single-type inflorescence form with             oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences             moderately fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering             response; plants exposed to eight days of long day/short             night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive             short day/long night conditions flower about 44 days later             when grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about three weeks; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray type, about 60 inflorescences per flowering             stem develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2 cm. Depth (height):             About 5 mm to 8 mm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle             height: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical to rounded.             Height: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 8 mm.             Color: Between 144B and 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm             to 5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Angle: Initially upright to close to about             30° from vertical; eventually reflexing. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number per             inflorescence: About 35 arranged in about two to three             whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 150B to             150C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 150A to 150B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 154D; with             development, color becoming closer to 150D. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 150C; with development, color             becoming closer to 154D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex:             Dentate. Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Number per inflorescence: About 180, massed at the center.             Color, immature: Apex: Close to 144C. Mid-section: Close to             6A. Base: Close to 145C. Color, mature: Apex: Close to 154C.             Mid-section: Close to 12A. Base: Close to 145C.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 4 mm to 8 mm. Width: About             2 mm to 4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 20             arranged in about two to three whorls. Color, upper surface:             Close to 146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About             1.5 mm. Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma color: Close to             154A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekgomba Green’ as illustrated and described. 